10 Indonesians allegedly associated with Tablighi Jamaat get bail

A holiday court on Friday granted bail to ten people, who were part of a group that had allegedly gone on a religious propagation across the country while on visit visa and are associated with the Tablighi Jamaat event held in Delhi.

Additional Public Prosecutor Ramesh Siroya had argued against granting bail to them on the grounds that they are foreign nationals and will not be available for investigation if let out on bail.

During the investigation, police told the court, that they had found them in one of the housing societies in Bandra where the women of the group had lived. One woman aged 72 was found COVID-19 positive and is currently taking treatment. Also, the group is associated with Tablighi Jamaat and due to their negligent act, prima facie, the cases of the disease have grown in the minority community.

The group had been booked by the Bandra police under sections of the IPC pertaining to disobedience to order promulgated by a public servant and negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life. After two persons among the group tested positive for COVID-19, the police had added sections pertaining to attempt to murder and culpable homicide.

They were arrested on April 22 after their quarantine period had ended. The two among the group who had tested positive were admitted at the Lilavati Hospital and had later tested negative in subsequent tests. They are now under home quarantine at a hotel in Bandra.